There have been increased efforts to apprehend perpetrators of fake billing scams by the state and central goods and services tax (GST) departments lately.
According to data tabled in the state assembly, input tax credit of Rs 1,961 crore was claimed using fake bills in 2022. This is 292% higher than Rs 499.26 crore fraudulently obtained in 2021.
This input tax credit paid out is a loss to the exchequer, being fraudulently claimed using fake bills without actual movement of goods.
“These entities not only evade taxes but also take money from the exchequer illegally,” said a top SGST department source.
Some 1,948 cases of fake billing came to the fore in 2022, against 1,347 in 2021.
Various measures have been initiated by the commercial tax department officials to apprehend the scamsters. The department has already cancelled 733 GST registrations that were involved in billing.